HYDERABAD, Feb 7: The crime branch of the Hyderabad region police, which was wound up after promulgation of the Police Order 2002, has been revived with the posting of 116-member staff, it is learnt through an official source.

A formal communication regarding posting of the staff in the branch has been sent to the chief of investigation wing of Hyderabad region's police. The decision for revival of the crime branches in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Karachi regions was taken two months ago.

The source attributed revival of the crime branch to poor performance of the investigation wing and said that the cases that had not been properly investigated would be referred to its officials for further investigation.

The crime branch will be headed by DSP Gul Mohammad Sher and work under supervision of AIG (investigation) Haji Mohammad Sadiq.

Besides a DSP and eight inspectors, 16 sub-inspectors, four ASIs, 20 head constables and 67 constables have been inducted in the crime branch.

It is learnt that old office of the branch will be handed over to its officials with the same number of vehicles, including two jeeps and five pick-ups, which were used by them earlier.

CHARGE-SHEET: Final charge-sheet in a multiple murder case lodged against a 17-year-old girl after mysterious death of her step mother and her four children was submitted before the judicial magistrate-11 here on Monday by investigating officer Malik Riaz.

He told this correspondent that the weapon of offence, a knife, had been shown recovered. He said that the court had been informed that the chemical examination report regarding autopsy of the victims -- Naseem, the wife of a policeman, Saindad, and her four children -- would be presented before the court by a government laboratory.

Shazia, daughter of the deceased woman, has been shown as an eyewitness and Safia as principal accused in the case, the investigation officer said.

He said that other witnesses included Adnan and Naveed, both sons of owner the house the victims lived in, Raees Ahmed, Zarina who had allegedly got the knife sharpened and provided to Naseem, and Ehsan, owner of a knife shop. Their statements have been recorded and submitted with the charge-sheet. Safia has been lodged in a women's prison.

On January 16, Naseem and her four children were found dead in her house in Sarfaraz Colony in the jurisdiction of the Market police. Police have lodged the case on the complaint of Saindad under relevant sections of the PPC.